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Two arrested in Tucson police imposter case

Carmen Duarte Arizona Daily Star

Jul 11, 2013

Two men were arrested in connection to an ongoing case involving men posing as cops who made traffic stops in June.

The men, whose names were not released, are facing attempted armed robbery, aggravated assault and impersonating a peace officer, said Sgt. Maria Hawke, a Tucson Police Department spokesman, in a new release Thursday.

Both were booked into the Pima County jail.

The suspects were linked to a traffic stop at about 1 a.m. June 20 in the 4900 block of East Fifth Street, Hawke said.

The imposters used a dark-colored Ford Crown Victoria that had low-profile red and blue lights above the dashboard, and additional lighting in the vehicle’s rear window area, said Hawke.

The vehicle did not have police markings on it, or rooftop emergency lights.

At the time of the traffic stop, the department’s helicopter unit observed the vehicles, and recognized the lighting on the simulated police vehicle, and the positioning of the cars on the roadway were not normal, said Hawke.

The helicopter crew shone its light on the cars, and called for assistance from patrol squads, Hawke said.

As patrol cars approached the scene, the simulated police vehicle left the area and then stopped a short while later, Hawke said.

The passenger in the car ran, and police captured him in a nearby neighborhood.

The driver remained with the car and was questioned by police.

Both men were released, but the vehicle was seized. Further investigation led to their arrests, said Hawke.

Detectives ask that anyone who may have been pulled over in traffic stops by men posing as officers call 911 or 88-CRIME.

The stops were made between June 10 and June 20. The police imposters were not dressed in a police uniform, and might have identified themselves as a law enforcement or government agent, said Hawke.

No citations were issued by the imposters, Hawke said.

Motorists who doubt the identity of any law enforcement officer can call 911 to verify the officer’s identity, said Hawke.